here is so much truth in the adage, “Life is what you make of it”. For as
long as there is life, there are limitless possibilities for the imagination and
for us to realize it. At AVENUE, we are constantly thrilled by uncovering
and sharing the tremendous contributions of fellow Second Life® residents that
make our lives here just that much more colorful.
The fashion industry is powered by a very special group of fashion devotees that
inspire us with their styling, imagery and words through their blogs. AVENUE
is proud to highlight selected bloggers from the fashion arena to lend their
voices in our new monthly column, The Blogspot, to titillate us further with their
style tips and thoughts. We’re pleased to spearhead this column with Strawberry
Singh, one of SL’s beloved fashion blogger who has also just recently joined the
AVENUE family. Watch out for her own regular column next month.
We have two interesting sims to feature this month, each with very different
mandates that are equally engaging. Virtual Mine, is an educational 3D environment
game that dedicates itself to depicting the mining, music and culture of the
Appalachian mountains. A perfect example of how Second Life can be a one of
a kind educational tool with its immersion and networking possibilities. Another
sim that can only be actualized on a platform such as SL™, is Dubhan, a magical
Medieval role playing sim that captivates through its community. Created for
every level of role player, Dubhan welcomes you into its fold of residents in their
tapestry of romance and adventure.
One of our favorite artists, Gracie Kendal, has been busy with a an intriguing
photography project to celebrate and capture the diversity of Second Life residents
in “1000 Avatars Project”. Delight and share with Gracie on her exploration of
the manifestation of virtual identities and find out how you can be a part of this
momentous project.
And the list goes on as we celebrate all the wonderful Second Life residents in
this month of love. To all of you with love... from AVENUE.

AVENUE | Editor's note

Isadora Fiddlesticks
Photo by Ozz Larson

Isadora Fiddlesticks
Managing Editor
AVENUE

T

he arts has been a constant feature in Second Life, may it be done through
the virtual world’s prims, or through real life canvas--art is part of what
makes Second Life what it is. We here in AVENUE understand that aspect,
and we love to feature the arts community in SL in the hopes that more and
more people will appreciate them and in so doing, help people understand that
there is more to the virtual world than just what is often is described to be: a
3D SOCIAL NETWORK. True, we socialize, have fun, and make friends in SL, but
when you get past those activities, SL becomes more things to you.
When you’re old into “the game”, you hardly find it as a game anymore. Avatars
are not just actual people you hang out with, but individuals who you can miss
and cherish when they are gone. Virtual possessions are not just stuff to you,
but tokens and props of your memories spent inworld. Your vision of the virtual
world becomes more complex and you struggle with describing what SL is to
everybody.
Sometimes I still struggle, despite having been inworld since 2007, to describe
what Second Life is to me. It is a surreal world, like how Pia Klaar sees it
and portrays in her machinima “Surreal”. It is a world of beauty queens and
princesses, of dancing in clubs and of learning about the effects of mines in
certain parts of the world.
Truly, Second Life is many things, but it is still one thing for me: AMAZING.

Animations
Bringing Your Second Life to Life
Written by Sensuous Soulstar
Photography by Diconay Boa

T

ry to imagine your Second Life速
without animations. No sexy swaying
of the hips as the ladies glide across
the room. Handsome men would be walking
awkwardly without the manly struts that
we have come to know and love. No one
able to dance to the latest and greatest
tunes, everyone just standing around
the room like an eighth grade dance.
Scary thought! But thanks to hard
work and long hours of the superbly
talented Dave Bellman, you never have
to imagine the nightmare of an SL速

without the creativity and individuality that you
have come to love. Through his highly successful
company, Animazoo Animations, Bellman has
raised the animation bar to an impossible
height. Utilizing the latest in technology, the
highly skilled animator provides residents with
flawless animations for every occasion, from
AOs to dances. His customer service is second
to none, his animations cannot be surpassed,
and his talent reaches far beyond the bounds
of SL. Join AVENUE as we sit down with this
programming genius and delve deep into the
world of animating your Second Life.

Sensuous Soulstar: Let’s just jump right into
it. You’ve been around long before animations
were as fluid and as sophisticated as they are
now. Tell us a little about what you’ve seen
with the progression and advancements made
in the area of animation. Your animations
themselves have progressed tremendously
and you’ve incorporated new and sometimes
even experimental techniques. Tell us about
the animations that were out when you first
started, the progress, and even how it’s
affected your creations, whether it’s pushed
you to develop new things, or even required
an adjusting of the market.
Dave Bellman: Initially, there were very
few motion captured animations available in
SL. The mocapped animations available were
very jerky and unnatural. All the truly high
quality animations were made using keyframe
techniques which, despite some excellent
work being available, had serious limitations
in terms of producing natural and fluid
movements. Back then, I was investigating
the seemingly untapped potential of mocap
animations, but soon got frustrated trying to
convert data I’d found on the Internet to the
SL format. Despite this, I continued learning
animation and scripting for SL. In terms of
pushing SL’s animation capabilities, I think we
all hit the technical limits a long time ago. The
real innovations have been in animation styles,
particularly AOs. We all try hard to come up
with new and original ideas, but sometimes
it’s difficult not to be inspired by some of the

excellent work I see! That being said, no small
part of the “art” of mocap animating comes
from recognizing a good mover when you see
one – more than one of my performers have
been offered work whilst I was out socializing.
SS: Staying with that last point, I’d like to talk
a little about Motion Capture, or MoCap as it’s
sometimes shortened. While it’s not completely
new to the grid right now, it is becoming
increasingly prevalent and more animators are
starting to use this technology. Give me a little
overview on the actual technology itself, and
your thoughts on it as far as creating better
animations, whether it is more or less time
consuming than using standard animation
software, and so on. Also, with the increased
competition, how have you been able to stay
afloat in the market for so long? Is there any
one thing that has been more invaluable than
the others in helping to keep you afloat?
DB: There are a few mocap technologies
commonly in use. There are the systems that
use electronic sensors attached to the body, like
the Animazoo IGS-190 I use, or the low cost,
recently released Animazoo G7. I personally
favor these systems for their low cost, natural,
non-flickery movement, quick setup time and
portability. Then there are the optical systems.
These range from extremely expensive, like the
ones used in Hollywood blockbusters, to the
comparatively new, low budget systems. Aside
from the long setup time, the high end optical
systems are the ultimate - provided you have
at least a quarter of a million dollars to spend!

The low budget optical systems are great too,
but these tend to limit the performance to a
stage of just one or two square meters. It is
these low-budget optical systems that have
made mocap so much more accessible for SL
animators and account for many of the newer
mocap animation offerings.
In terms of time spent animating, it’s hard to
compare mocap and keyframing techniques.
Producing high quality animations using either
takes a lot of time and effort. Deciding which
technique to use depends of the type of
animation, and I often utilize both techniques
in a single project.
With regards increased competition, in all
honesty, it’s been a double edged sword.
Increased competition has undoubtedly
pushed SL animators to produce better work.
But of course, the downside is that it can be
a real struggle at times too! The year before
last I spent a good deal of time setting up my
animation company in South East Asia whilst
simultaneously spending months creating an
automated customer support system. I was
still releasing new animations over the same
period, but by the end of the year so much time
on these two projects that I’d neglected my
core activity of actually producing animations.
It was a real wakeup call when I realized
how far the competition had come on in the
interim. Fortunately, I’d been lucky enough
to find and employ a talented and very hard
working animator at my new office in South
East Asia. Between the pair of us we added an

unprecedented amount of new products to the
range over the course of last year, with many
more currently in the pipeline.
SS: Now that you’ve mentioned it, I’d like to
touch a little on some of the work that you
do in first life. I believe your latest project,
Dubmation, actually has an impact on your
work here in Second Life. Tell us a little about
your company and what it is that you do, and
how it affects your work here in SL.
DB: I started Dubmation late in 2008 as I
wanted to train up an animator so as to increase
the overall quantity of released animations
for SL without sacrificing quality. Currently
Dubmation concentrates entirely on animating
for Second Life. However, if mesh becomes
a reality in SL, I plan to expand the team
to include 3D modelers and texture artists.
In addition, if Blue Mars starts to show real
signs of large scale growth I plan to expand
to modeling and possibly animating for Blue
Mars. Whatever the conditions dictate in the
immediate future, Dubmation is, in my mind,
my own personal Asian Tiger, ready to leap
into action in 2011!
SS: Now you’ve actually helped your
competition, which is odd for a merchant, but
is also, in a way, very commendable in trying
to level the playing field. Tell the readers a
little about the free animation software you’ve
created which is currently in use by many SL
animators, including why you’d share your
successful methods with potential competitors.
DB: Bvhacker is my pet project. I’d love to

spend more time working on it. I do still
manage one or two releases a year, and it’s
been downloaded over 15,000 times, so I
guess somebody is finding it useful! I started
writing it in 2006 as I was looking for a way to
convert bvh files to be Second Life compatible.
It has since evolved into a useful tool for the
final preparation of bvh files before uploading
them to SL. Why would I share bvhacker for
free? Well, it doesn’t actually form the core of
my animation production pipeline, so I’m not
really giving away too much by sharing it. I
also enjoy the both the challenge of coding in
3D using C++ and the sense of achievement
each time I finish a new release, and, well,
what’s an achievement if you can’t share it!
SS: One of the highlights of your store is
that your customers are always taken care
of. You’ve managed to keep great customer
service around the clock with the use of an
innovative avatar, Shopkeeper Sideways. I
don’t know whether I should call it a “bot”
since it is somewhat of an avatar and a lot
more intelligent than most of the standard
“bots”, but explain to the readers a little about
this marvelous creation and some of the things
it does to increase customer service. Also, do
you offer these creations for sale or rent to
other companies?
DB: Well, I do try to offer the best customer
support possible. The trouble comes when
SL is being buggy - it’s totally overwhelming
finding my email inbox is packed with over 80
emails first thing in the morning! When starting

my own business, I wanted to make sure
customers felt safe shopping with Animazoo.
I can honestly say that a customer’s message
has never been left intentionally unanswered.
The trouble was, I’d often find the sheer volume
of customer support requests left absolutely
no time to actually create animations! So, I
decided to create Shopkeeper Sideways. He’s
always online, and can answer over 60 of the
most common customer queries, including
replacing missing items, upgrading existing
items, providing instructions for products and
creating support tickets. I’ve also tried to give
him some of my Brit personality by making
him as overly polite and English as possible
– he has a few deliberate quirks! The initial
announcement of Shopkeeper Sideways on
Twitter prompted a number of enquiries from
other SL merchants regarding using the system
for their businesses. However, for technical
reasons, merging our different systems proved
too time consuming and therefore expensive.
SS: Before we end, I want to pick your brain
for a bit of your secret to success. You’ve
successfully been in business now for a
number of years. You’ve got a great customer
base, and probably the most well-known and
respected animations in SL. What, or whom,
do you credit for the amazing success of the
company, besides the incredible animations,
of course?
DB: I certainly can’t take all the credit for
Animazoo Animation’s success, and I’m
extremely glad to have the opportunity to

thank the following: Ali Kord, inventor of the
Animazoo IGS-190 motion capture suit. Aside
from inventing the IGS-190 in the first place,
he also financed Animazoo in SL during the
first few months and continues to take an
interest to this day.
Chanarat, my enthusiastic and talented
animator certainly deserves credit for all
her work over the last 18 months, working
tirelessly to produce animations to an ever
increasing standard.
Past and present CSRs, particularly the highly
knowledgeable Erikaa Indigo, my long suffering
muse deserves a whole heap of credit for her
ideas over the years and for putting up with
my often haphazard ways of getting things
done - HUGZ E!
And of course, all of Animazoo’s customers
over the last four years; Animazoo Animations
would be nothing without your feedback and
continued business. Thank you all!
SS: I think it’s safe to say that we all thank
Animazoo Animations and Dave Bellman
for his continued creativity, ingenuity, and
dedication to helping animate our second
lives. A world without that animation magic
is hard to imagine, and lucky for all of us, we
don’t have to. The next time we sit and watch
the gorgeous AVENUE models take our breath
away on the runway, and the next time we get
to show our latest dance moves at one of the
amazing after parties listening to DJ Rusch,
we’ll all know who to thank for helping our
stars shine just a little brighter in SL.
A

"Animazoo Animations
would be nothing
without your feedback
and continued
business"

hen I was approached to do this
article my first initial thought was
red, it has to be something red.
Not sure why, I always tend to lean towards
the color red, which might actually explain my
choice in names, even though I openly admit
to having purple as my favorite color. Anyhow,
I digress, what was I saying? Oh yes, the color
red.

For my first AVENUE article, I figured I would
give a little glimpse into the favorites section of
my inventory. What better way to do that than
talk about my three most favorite red gowns
on the grid! I love to dress up and gowns are
a weakness for me. I do admit to having quite
a big collection and majority of them are red.
The Nicky Ree Le Fleur Baroque gown is probably
the most luxurious item I own. Every time I put
it on, I feel like a million lindens. I am amazed
at the attention to detail and thought process
behind the creation of this gown. It captures
17th century baroque fashion beautifully.
The gown itself makes such a statement, I
normally donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like to accessorize it too much.
I stick with the mask from Illusions that was
designed specifically for this gown however
this time I topped it off with a new hair choice
from Plume. Plume just recently opened and
has some of the most artistic hairstyles Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve
seen on the grid. In fact I chose to wear Plume
hair for all three of the gowns.
The Serafina gown from Purple Moon is actually
a new addition to my inventory. I recently
discovered this store when I was photographing
a client who is taking part in a pageant. She
had this gorgeous dress on and I was just
amazed at the color and quality. This gown is
so well put together from every angle and upon
visiting the store I was shocked to discover the
affordable price. You rarely find quality like this
at such a low price. Purple Moon has become

a favorite in my landmarks folder just for their
incredible selection of gowns.
The Beaded Organza gown from Baiastice
is, to me, just sheer elegance. It embodies
everything feminine with just the right mix of
sensuality and style. The texturing and detail
on the gown is immaculate. The presence of
this gown is overpowering and will definitely
turn heads when you enter the room. Again I
am not one to accessorize my gowns too much,
as I like to let them to speak for themselves,
so just a power necklace and a stylish do to
create the right amount sophistication.
Shoes for gowns are pretty straight forward
especially since most of the time they are
covered by the gown. So what are the perfect
shoes for a lavish gown? Something simple,
stylish and understated. I prefer pumps in
similar or contrasting colors. Shiny things is
one of my favorite shoe store for pumps.
The location I chose to shoot these images at
was World’s End Garden on the Heaven Lake
sim which has been transformed into a winter
wonderland for the snowy season: Heaven
Lake [60.161.22].
Now keep in mind, all of these gowns are also
available in many other colors... but as I said
before, nothing beats red. I leave you with
these wise words from talented designer, Bill
A
Blass: “When in doubt, wear red.”

AVENUE | Fashion Icon

A

lan Kay once stated: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The best way to
predict the future is to invent it.â&#x20AC;? The
Cisse sisters must have been listening.
Syane and Systi Cisse have brought the future
of fashion to the present using only their
visions of the future, and it looks to be a very
sexy one.

Written by Sensuous Soulstar
Photography by Blackliquid Tokyoska

Their brand, [sYs] has been producing the
most recognizable and most stunning cyber
fashions ever seen on the grid. Entering
Second Life® specifically to bring forth their
technomancia culture into our humble virtual
world, these sisters have taken cyber fashion
to new heights, astoundingly interfusing their
vision of the future into a fashion powerhouse.
According to the sisters, their vision of the
future is one full of sexiness and beauty. “For
us, the future cyber culture is not a cold vision,”
says Syane Cisse. She continues, “why must
the future be all white with not enough art
and beauty?” Adds Systi Cisse, “Life is beauty,
not just white; there is blue for the sky, and a
vision of eternity, and black for the night…very
sweet and mysterious.”
With diverse backgrounds in their first lives,
Syane working with contemporary art and Systi
working electro acoustic music, the sisters have
taken an old passion for fashion and brought it
alive in SL®. Both real life fashion addicts with
a love for designers such as Jean Paul Gaultier,
John Galliano, and Thierry Mugler, the sisters
have taken their appreciation for fashion and
turned it into a cyber movement.
And how do these creative and complex
visionaries define what is considered fashion?
“The art of movement…and that movement

is life,” says Systi. “Yes, the art of movement.
An art that everyone can take ownership of, in
perpetual movement, and living,” adds Syane.
With their minds so in sync, it is no surprise that
these design moguls have been able to bring
together their separate design ideas to forge
such a successful brand. And they are very well
aware of just how in sync they are. According
to Syane, “My sister is complementary to me.
I need her to be in harmony with my creation.
She is my dual entity.” Systi agrees adding “We
are the same, yet different. We’re like a waltz,
or a tango.” It’s through this harmony that the
sisters have the ability to work together or even
apart and still produce a flawlessly combined
finished product.
Speaking of their minds, while the root of the
name [sYs] seemed obvious, these out-of-thebox thinkers quickly corrected that assumption.
There are actually many reasons behind the
name, and not just a reference to the first initials
of both sisters’ names. As Syane explained
one of the main reasons behind the name is
in their storyline (available on their website),
the number six has great significance, and in
French, six is pronounced as “sys.” There is also
the fact that “sys” resembles the word “sis,” as
in sisters, and the fact that both of their names
begin with “Sy.” “Sys” is in the word “system,”
yet another homage to their technomancia
culture. And finally, sYs is also the abbreviation
for “show your style.” Not as cut and dry as
most would think!

With a new main store specially designed and
built by Systi Cisse, these sisters are off to
another amazing year of breathtaking designs
that can’t be found anywhere else on the grid.
Yet, before parting, each sister graciously
shared a piece of advice for future designers
looking to make an imprint in the fashion world.
Syane begins with: “Believe in your designs,
take pleasure in designs, and believe in the
beautiful things you can do here. Let your mind
fly.” Finally, Systi shares her advice: “Move
your ideas and work with passion!” Words to
be treasured from such sage minds.
A

Fa

AVENUE |Featured Designer

ashion
Seduced by

Written by Augusta Carver
Photography by Ozz Larsson

F

ashion is always an innovative and
constantly changing force in our world.
In an industry where you can be
creative, one should experiment, and test the
boundaries of fashion, I am still constantly
amazed by the talent I see in Second Life速
today. Vitor Algoma, a designer in SL速 and RL,
has found ways to showcase his own creations
and inspirations in his SL fashions.

Augusta Carver: Why did you decide to join
Second Life?
Vitor Algoma: In 2005, while surfing the web,
I saw an ad on a website, I don’t remember
exactly which site it was but there was an
ad for Second Life, and I found the idea very
interesting. I’ve always been a fan of the Sims
from the very beginning of the game and I
always figured it would be really cool if The
Sims were online, and I think that like many
people who first joined Second Life also kind
of thought that it would be something like The
Sims Online. That was the first time I entered
Second Life, in 2005, I played a little, but to
be honest it really didn’t catch my attention as
it has recently. At that time we didn’t have as
many things as we have today, it simply didn’t
have much attraction for me at that time and
my internet was dialup which of course made
things even more difficult. So I left SL for a bit,
but in 2009 I decided to return to the Second
Life and to revisit the grid, having found that
so much had changed and so here I am.
AC: When did you realize you wanted to
become a fashion designer?
VA: I started blogging some looks, but there
was always something missing that I would
like to complement the look. I couldn’t find this
particular part anywhere, and it was then that
I started thinking why don’t I just make it? I
have been an RL designer since I was 13 years
old. And that was when a good friend of mine,
Atillas Joszpe told me about a friend of his who
was a Brazilian designer and also a real life

designer like me. Atillas then introduced me to
him (CheerNo Destiny). From the first time I
set foot in the shop of my newly found friend
CheerNo, I thought -”one day I want to be in
that store.”
AC: How did you start designing for CheerNo?
VA: CheerNo and I always talked a lot about
business in Second Life, and he as well as
other close friends encouraged me to start
designing. After showing CheerNo some of my
earlier pieces he asked me if I wanted to join
the CheerNo team. I was immensely happy
and thrilled with the invitation and without
hesitation I accepted. It was in October 2009
that I officially I joined CasaCheerno.
AC: Tell me a little about your newest store
opening soon called KLETVA?
VA: Kletva is a second new (old way) dream,
which came to me after working in the Second
Life fashion industry for the past year. I thought
the time had come for me to walk on my own
two legs. Making my own decisions on what I
wanted to design. If I make the right or wrong
decisions I wanted to make them myself. What
I want to create in Kletva is something that is
unique and innovative in many aspects. I want
for people to be able to reinvent themselves
from head to toe when they come to Kletva. I
want the name Kletva to become synonymous
with SL Fashion. I want Kletva to be perhaps
more urban/ glam / rock than actual haute
couture. Kletva isn’t just my dream but it
has been a dream accomplished through the
support of all my friends, but one in particular

who has been there for me through everything
helping guide me and cracking the whip to
keep me going and that is my store manager
and friend Jarl Soderstrom.
AC: What is your inspiration for your new
collection?
VA: It’s hard to say exactly what one thing
has given inspiration for this collection. But the
main theme of the collection is minimalism,
but I think even the name doesn’t do exact
justice to what style it provides. As a designer
I want to somehow mix everything I like and
want to show those things now. We all know
that everything in fashion is re-invented and I
want to achieve and ‘recycle’ it. Then I can say
I want to recycle reinvention with minimalism.
AC: How would you define “success” for
someone in your chosen position?
VA: I don’t see it as a success. I see it more like
recognition. Perhaps it’s just effusive modesty
on my part to say that, but I’m very grateful
for the recognition that people give me, it truly
is my greatest reward, rather than at the end
of the month being able to pay my credit card.
Anyway, I feel that success shouldn’t be the
thing that defines who you are. Achieving a
certain level of success, notoriety or popularity
should never define you. It’s something I see
more and more in Second Life and it truly
saddens me that some people seem to feel a
need to be worshiped as some kind of god.
Success or not we are all still equal in Second
Life and we are all just humans behind a
computer screen.

AC: Aside from designing, what other projects
are you involved in?
VA: Well, I like doing the same things inside
of Second Life that I do in my real life. One of
my greatest passions besides graphic design,
fashion and music is photography. A great
deal of my time I’m shooting, both for clients,
friends, and events which I am invited to or
even for several magazines. I love seeing my
photos out there, it’s magic.
AC: What does fashion mean to you?
VA: Lifestyle, freedom, expression, attitude,
choice, movement, sensation, vision, and taste.
AC: What should we expect to see from your
designs in the future collections?
VA: I can’t really say for sure, it could be haute
couture, or more modernism. The future is a
mystery and even I don’t really know what
it holds. But I believe we could see more
minimalism or brightness. I am a big fan of the
‘less is always more’ approach.
AC: What has been your most favorite item
you have designed to date?
VA: Hmm, I think the suit I made that
was inspired by Alexander McQueen for
CasaCheerNo, called “The Leather Suit.”
AC: Do you wear just your designs or do you
have any favorite designers you love to shop
from?
VA: I say with sincerity that I might use more
stuff from other designers, than my own
creations. Not that I don’t appreciate my work,
but I LOVE enhancing and experimenting with
the work of other designers here in Second

Life. I have so many favorite stores here with
fantastic creations, but what is even more
amazing than the creations are the creators.
I could give you a list of stores and designers
that I find incredible but I think it would take
up far too much space in your magazine.
AC: Do you have any advice for people
interested in designing?
VA: I know it sounds cliché but, never give up
your dreams, even within a game. If you have
any reason to do something in here, work for
it, better, always try to learn even more, and
of course never want to be better than anyone
else. Create what you want, recreate what
you want, be inspired with freedom. All are
inspired; poets, artists, and designers. Success
is when you can leave your mark, your own
identity. Learn the difference between copying
and inspiration. There is a fine line between
the both. The first, FOR ME, brings satisfaction
and pride. The second is what motivates us to
improve. Everything has been done. Or not?
And as they say, nothing is created, everything
is RE-CREATION. I want to thank all people
who are accompanying me on this new and
wonderful journey, all my friends, even if I don’t
listen all of you, and of course a big Thanks to
AVENUE!
Vitor Algoma’s interest in fashion and making
people look their very best from a young age is
truly inspiring. No matter if you are a designer
or a shopaholic, to me you can quickly become
inspired by clothing. Rather seeing them on

"Create what
you want,
recreate
what you
want, be
inspired with
freedom"

someone or in a magazine or shopping in
stores. That is what makes SL such a fun and
rewarding experience; the ability to experiment
and show your personality through fashion.
Vitor Algoma knows just how to do that. And
I am sure he will continue creating fashions to
take notice of.
A

he beginning of a new year is an
exhilarating time, one that for many brims
with hope, renewed goals and all of the
endless possibilities that lie ahead for the future.
For Agnes Finneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s My Precious fashion house,
this is also a time of excitement, as 2011 marks
the beginning of a new My Precious Queen
contest featuring a newly developed format.
Throughout the coming year, three finalists will
be chosen each month and will advance to one
of the two finals to be held, the My Precious
Summer Queen Final (January to May) and
the My Precious Winter Queen Final (July to
November). This means that My Precious will
be selecting not one, but two fortunate women
this year as royal ambassadors of this fashion
house known for creating some of the most
sophisticated and elegant gowns to be found
in the Second LifeÂŽ grid.
The list of past hopefuls who have vied for the
My Precious Queen crown is full of names wellknown to the fashion industry as well as new
faces hoping for the honor of being selected
as the face of My Precious. In addition to
the prestigious title of My Precious Summer
or Winter Queen, the designated winners will
receive cash prizes, a voucher for AVENUE
Model Academy, sponsored gifts and gift cards,
and a photo shoot for AVENUE Magazine.

Written by Xandrah Sciavo
Photography by Natasja Schumann

AVENUE Magazine is delighted to present
the first three finalists of the year for My
Precious Summer Queen 2011. Read on as
we introduce you to the January 2011 finalists:
Annough Lykin, Caroline Mosely, and kaidence
Piancastellios.

A

Annough Lykin
Royal Princess – January 2011

Annough Lykin is a friendly, determined, and
hard-working lady with a keen eye for style
and design elements who had her start in
the industry as a builder and soon became
an accomplished blogger and photographer.
She has since chosen to pursue runway and
print modeling as a career, and is hoping to
soon become a graduate of AVENUE Models
Academy. Annough enjoys spending quality
time with her partner and close friends, but she
can also be found in her photography studio
every day. She believes that hard work and
diligence is the key to success, and Annough
employs this theory to all she does, whether
as a photographer or in her newest role as a
model. She describes her personal sense of
style as classic and elegant, and says she has a
great love for the gowns of Agnes Finney that
inspire the romantic and mystical sides of her.
Favorite My Precious Design: “That is a very
difficult question as I love all of Agnes’ beautiful
work. My first gown I ever bought that was
created by her was Chantal in a wonderful royal
blue tone and I still love that one. However, I
will never forget how speechless I was when
I saw her impressive and fascinating Empress
gown for the first time in AVENUE’s “2010 The
Future is Now” show. I am also definitely a fan
of her white lace gowns. And... well, I’d better
stop this now before I mention every gown or

dress in the My Precious shop!”
Thoughts about the My Precious Queen
Crown: “I always thought of the My Precious
Queen contest as one of the most important
and biggest in SL®, so it’s a real honor for
me to be chosen as a finalist for My Precious
Queen Spring/Summer 2011. I really worked
long and hard on my looks and my styling to
come to this point, and this now tells me that
I’m on the right path. I will put all my heart
into working further to improve my chances for
being selected as My Precious Queen. If I were
to represent My Precious as Queen I would
do my best to combine my skills in modeling
and in photography with my addiction to the
beautiful and fantastic work of Agnes Finney.”
Style tip: “My personal styling tip is this: try to
find yourself. Never will every type of skin look
good on you, even if your features are wellbalanced. So choose your skins very carefully.
Whenever you put one on and you would have
to change a lot in your features to make it look
good again, leave it. When you put a new skin
on and look at yourself thinking, “Yes, that’s
me!” then that is your skin, then you have found
yourself. Also, be very careful to choose the
right hairstyles to go with it. There is nothing
that can change your look from good to bad as
much as poorly matched hair.”

A

Caroline Mosley
Royal Princess – January 2011

Caroline Mosely is a lovely woman who is new
to the fashion world and says she is loving every
minute of it. Having just begun her career a
few months ago, she is already represented
by Absolut Model Agency and Spirit Modeling
Agency. She describes herself as happy person
and a perfectionist, but she is most loved by
close companions for her loyal friendship and
good advice. In fact, she believes deeply in kind
acts and the value of the friendships formed in
virtual worlds like SL. Caroline describes her
trademark style as daring yet tasteful, and she
considers herself to be a versatile stylist who
enjoys creating a variety of different looks.

Favorite My Precious Design: “My favorite
My Precious design is the Agnes Grandeur
Dazzle dress, a dress that is both sexy and
glamorous, forming a perfect combination!”
Thoughts about the My Precious Queen
Crown: “To be a model who wins the My
Precious Queen Contest is a victory! This
would be a dream come true, showing that the
efforts to win in this career were rewarded!”
Style tip: “Always be original. Be inspired
by the visuals of other styles, but do not copy
them! Make your visual according to your own
likes, looking for accessories and even mixing
different outfits.”

A

kaidence Piancastellios
Royal Princess – January 2011

kaidence Piancastellios is a friendly and
ambitious lady who believes strongly in the
notion of “paying it forward,” or spreading
goodwill by selflessly helping others. In her
spare time, she can often be found at help
centers offering assistance to newer arrivals on
the grid. Fashion is her true passion, however,
and she spends many hours attending fashion
shows and exploring our virtual community for
styling inspiration. kaidence, a graduate of MA
Photography and Modeling Academy, is a store
model and also plans to continue her education
at the Outrageous Glamour Modeling Academy.
Our third finalist of the month encourages
others to embrace their own, individual sense
of style. She classifies her own style as one that
ranges from “girlie couture” to avant garde.
Favorite My Precious Design: “My favorite
gown is the Mayur Gown; when I saw it, it
took my breath away . It is just something I
believe I wish I could wear in rl, and the way
it elongates the body and fits your proportions
are just like a glove when you put it on. I just
could not stop looking at myself at when I saw
it. The possibilities on how I could wear it again

and again with different accessories were just
endless.”
Thoughts about the My Precious Queen
Crown: “My Precious, to me, is what I believe
pays it forward to realistic style and gives
models like myself a chance to be successful
after struggling for so long . I think that by
being My Precious Queen, you are the brand
and therefore you simply give customers ideas
on what they can do with gowns. In this case,
it is a format to pursue a dream and a passion
for myself, personally.”
Style tip: “My personal tip is to walk around
the store you wish buy from. Study the style so
you can know the brand’s own style , what you
can create, and what you may already have in
your inventory.”
For more information about the contest, entry
forms, or to see a gallery of the contestants
for each month, visit the main store location.
If you have a unique flair for glamour and
elegance, you could be the one that the My
Precious fashion house is searching for.
A

AVENUE |Designer Collection

GizzA
creations

Keeping the Art in Fashion
Written by Sensuous Soulstar
Photography by Natasja Schumann

I

mitation is the sincerest form of flattery
but the ability to never have to imitate, to
be so design savvy and creative that you
can let your imagination guide your creations
is the sincerest form of genuine talent. Such
genuine talent is something that oozes from Giz
Seorn, as evidenced by her immensely popular
GizzA Creations, a brand new to Second Life速,
but rich in design experience.

A professional photographer by trade in her
first life, Seorn has always been involved with
the fashion world. She does catalog shoots for
many well-known designers in Turkey, and also
graphic designing, so she is no rookie to the
fusion of art and fashion. Her textures are a
testimony to her graphic design skills, while
her ability to match those immaculate textures
to just the right outfit is a testament to her eye
for perfection. Her sole purpose for arriving in
SL® was the creation of her designs, and in a
very short time, she has made the brand name
GizzA Creations a household name.
GizzA Creations was the brainchild of Seorn after
many long hours of trying to find the perfect
name for her designs. With a desire to find a
name that was compatible with her designs,
yet meaningless, and one that shoppers would
love upon hearing it; after many long hours,
GizzA was born. With no particular genre in
mind, Seorn creates pieces that customers can
wear everywhere, including casual and daily
wear, formalwear, as well as sportswear for
both men and women. She even creates the
perfect accessories and footwear to accompany
her pieces.
Within GizzA Creations, shoppers can find
a wide array of fashion in a variety of styles
to satisfy even the pickiest palette. Seorn is
a true believer of adapting fashion into your
own style: “I think your style is very important
in fashion. For example, if purple is the color
of the year, and you don’t like purple, buying
this kind of clothing is a big mistake. I think

fashion is a guide and you just present new
alternatives. What people need to do is walk
this guided road while collecting their own stuff
and adapting it to their own style.”
Above all else, with the pieces that she
creates, customers can rest assured that
Seorn’s designs will be one-of-a-kind originals.
Originally so concerned with making sure that
she never imitated another designer’s style,
Seorn avoided looking at the works of others.
“When I first came here, I was confused and
preferred not to look at any of the fashion
streams for my style,” explains Seorn. “But
now, I examine all work because I don’t want
to do the same designs as other designers.
Each design is special for the designer. I don’t
want to disrespect them without knowing it.”
This effort shines through each of her designs,
as there is no match for the quality of textures
and patterns used in each of her creations.
Giving well-deserved credit to her real life
training, Seorn admits that she does have a
bit of an edge over other designers in SL: “my
advantage is my realistic formation…realistic
curves and realistic textures and tones of
colors, because I love to play with colors. My
knowledge is very high level with Photoshop,
and this is advantage for me.” But ever the
humble designer, she does go on to say that
she gives credit to other designers that have
mastered Photoshop as well.
With a fresh new year come new and exciting
things at GizzA Creations. The store has recently
moved to its own sim and opened a brand new,

beautiful main store. Seorn explains her need for
such a quick move: “I design something every
day, so I needed a new store to add my new
designs. All my customers can now relax while
shopping in my new mainstore. Sometimes
they chat with each other, sometimes they are
resting in the store, but most of the time they
are shopping in new GizzA. I think an excellent
building is as important as the clothes. My
customers love this new mainstore, so I want
to say thank you very much for the new store
and new sim to Jador Casa and BedMaker Parx.
I think this building is a work of art here in SL.”
Residents can also look forward to bigger and
better things from GizzA Creations as Seorn
continues to learn more and more about the
fashion world. “I want knowledge. I am not
finished learning about fashion in here because
I always want to learn more information about
fashion.”
While she may still be learning, Seorn has shown
that she is no novice to the fashion world. Her
designs bring a realism to SL that is rare to
find these days, and with her ever expanding
knowledge of the metaverse, it is safe to say
that we can expect better and better in this
new year. Aside from her work, Seorn took a
moment to give readers a bit of common sense
advice to take with them. “My most important
advice is never forget to be tolerant in your
life. SL is very big and a nice entertainment
center, so entertainment is the most important
thing to keep in SL. I think if we show respect,
we will not have problems with others.”
A

AVENUE | Couture AVENUE Look 2011

Written by Jesika Contepomi
Photography by Annough Lykin

Couture AVENUE Look
2011
JANUARY FINALIST

Melanie Sauter

T

he Couture AVENUE Look 2011 Contest
has become “the” styling contest of the
season. Different from other contests this
challenge demands not only stellar modeling
runway experience, stage presence and the
ability to capture the perfect photo, but the
capacity to combine these all together with
an imaginative unique style. With impeccable
designers such as Nicky Ree, Baiastice, Chantkare,
LeLutka, Stylissimo, Azul and new brands to

the sim sYs and Osakki, one would think it easy,
but it’s no small feat to style together multiple
designers to an end result of fabulousness.
Once again the January contestants took the
stage with a fierce competitive edge and only
one remained standing, Melanie Sautereau. I
was very fortunate to catch Melanie just as she
stepped off the stage and get a more personal
look into the lady of the month.

reau

Jesika Contepomi: Melanie, thank you so
much for taking the time today to sit with me.
This month was no different then the last and
everyone on stage was fiercely styled. In a
competition of this level what inspired you to
compete?
Melanie Sautereau: When I first heard
about this contest I felt enthusiastic and excited
immediately. Besides modeling, I love to style
and enter styling challenges. So I knew that
the Couture AVENUE Look challenge was the
right thing for me. Being creative and create
“new” outfits, using the different elements of
all great designers here, is what I love to do.
Also, working with AVENUE is a long cherished
dream of mine.. which I hope to come true
some day.
J.C.: What truly spoke out from your styling on
stage was “you”; an outfit styled together with
a uniqueness unseen before. In my experience
finding ones unique self in modeling, not just
the styling but overall look, is something that
takes some models years to find. What do you
find makes your style so unique?
M.S.: Well, it took me a lot of time before
I found my own style. But along the way, I
discovered I do have my own way of styling
outfits. For example; I never wear more then
three colors in one outfit, except when the
colors are from same tone. I often wear hats
and bags, I think that defines me as a model.
I also try to keep myself recognizable; most
of the times I wear black hair, same lashes
and the same types of skins. I never make big
adjustments to my shape, only slight nose/

mouth adjustments.
J.C.: Finding that unique look is one thing,
then having the ability to stick with it, sound
advice for a new model. What other bits of
advice would you have for models trying to
find “their” unique look?
M.S.: Don’t expect to have a unique style
when you’ve just started modeling. It really
needs some practicing and experiences to find
out who you really are. With practicing I mean
to experiment with different kind of styles. Find
a style you feel comfortable with and which
also represents your personality. Once you
sorted that out, you can chose some elements
to bring back to every outfit.
J.C.: Very good advice. Now looking back on
your career as a model, would there be one
thing you would change or do differently?
M.S.: Well.. It’s not really a thing IN my
modeling career, but BECAUSE of my modeling
career. I’ve worked so hard; found my way
through the competitive world of modeling and
also to get noticed in the big crowd, that it
made me forgot my RL. I was online for too
long and for too many days, I couldn’t say “no”
to modeling jobs either. Just because I loved
to model. I think I was an addict to Second
Life, to my modeling career. Now I know how
to keep the balance between both lives, I’m
happy in both lives. But I wish I knew it before.
J.C.: Melanie you’re speaking to the choir. So
many of us, myself included, are married to
our screens. Now on the positive side of your

career, what has been your most memorable
modeling experience?
M.S.: Ohhh, that’s an easy question! Definitely
the “Miss Virtual World 2010” Beauty Pageant.
Wow, it brings back a lot of great memories.
Not only the things I’ve learned and the great
experience, but also the people I’ve met. Some
of the finalists of MVW 2010 are still close
friends to me. Unfortunately I only made it
to Top 10, but it didn’t matter. I’ve learned so
much and I’m still grateful for that. I just wish
I could to it all over again!
J.C.: I love your spirit! You have a very
positive outlook on competitions and I’m sure
that lends well to your modeling success. What
advice would you give to someone interested
in joining this contest?
M.S.: Create an extremely, unique outfit..
From the Couture AVENUE of course :) Take
a quality picture of your style.. And try it out!
You have nothing to loose, only to win. If you
don’t make it the first time, don’t worry. Try
again and learn from your first experience. I
didn’t make it my first try either, but I knew
what I did wrong afterwards. Never give up,
that’s the key!

J.C.: Your energy is truly contagious. Melanie
let me say congratulations and thank you again
for your time and in closing one final question
I like to ask all the finalists. Where do you see
yourself in a year?
M.S.: In a year.. Well, I assume like every
finalist, I hope to become the face of Couture
AVENUE. And, I hope I’m still able to model and
hopefully, be a role model for many aspiring
models as well. I love my modeling career
and I feel honored and grateful for being able
to showcase the amazing creations of every
designer on the grid.
-Are YOU the next face of Couture AVENUE? To
learn how you can be a finalist for Couture Look
2011 and be featured in AVENUE Magazine, stop
by the AVENUE office and pickup an application.
Join the AVENUE Magazine Readers Group for
regular updates, important dates and finalist
announcements.
Couture AVENUE Look 2011 Application LM
AVENUE at GOL [173.96.22]
AVENUE Website
http://avenuesl.com

A

AVENUE | Model of the Month

Written by Augusta Carver
Photography by Diconay Boa

A

n avid player of Second Life速 for almost
two years, Mikey Batriani took his
interest in fashion and modeling to the
next level. With a lot of dedication, practice,
and skill he has become a very recognizable
male model within SL.

Augusta Carver: Why did you decide to join
Second Life®?
Mikey Batriani: A few years ago I had
attended a lecture on globalization during my
undergraduate studies in RL in which there
was a discussion about social networking and
the increasing number of participants around
the world entering 3D virtual worlds. Initially I
was enticed to join Second Life by its aesthetic
appeal. Graphically, SL® is truly amazing.
Soon after, I found myself congregating
with individuals from around the globe and
the connections I developed proved to be
rewarding.
A.C.: How long have you been modeling for in
SL?
M.B.: I have enjoyed modeling in SL since
around April 2009 although I’ve never calculated
the time span in which I have participated. I
would say that’s a sign that I am enjoying it
thoroughly.
A.C.: Why did you choose to enter modeling?
M.B.: One of the very first groups I had joined
upon rezzing in SL was The Best of Second
Life Readers group and I recall various group
notices being sent out about modeling and
fashion. Naturally curious, I decided to ask via
group chat how does one venture into modeling.
One individual recommended AVENUE Models

Academy so I applied for the latter part of 2009.
I had patrolled a few fashion shows where I
gained an awareness of what is to be expected
of a potential model. I had been fortunate
enough to join a few modeling agencies where
I participated in various runway shows and
graduated from AVENUE Models Academy in
November 2009.
A.C.: Did you always have an interest in
fashion?
M.B.: I do believe our creations in SL are highly
motivated by what stimulates our senses in RL
and fashion is indeed one that does it for me.
A.C.: How would you define your style?
M.B.: My style varies from time to time and
most definitely in accordance with what
inspires me in that moment. I do feel I take a
rather versatile approach in styling, employing
elements from various genres of fashion rather
than wearing attire that is sought “straight out
of a box”. Success for me in this area is when a
certain style is defined as “very Mikey Batriani”.
A.C.: What do you find to be the most
challenging aspect of modeling in SL?
M.B.: I would have to say that the most
challenging aspect of modeling in SL would
be the challenge that any model should place
upon themselves, thus being the goals in which

we set to achieve. I do believe good models
push themselves to achieve the extraordinary
and the unseen enabling them to advance on a
positive level. Of course, all challenges should
be positive.
A.C.: What is the most rewarding part of
modeling?
M.B.: The most rewarding part of modeling is
the enabling of ideas to be presented to the SL
world at large and in turn presenting your own
ideas you have developed through creativity
and inspiration. We can all certainly learn
from each other regardless of our experience
within the industry and I find it rewarding
to continually learn to develop, to push and
evolve in my modeling career.
A.C.: As a model, what do you believe is an
important skill to have?
M.B.: There are many key attributes which I feel
should always be taken into consideration and
they are made up of the most generic of skills.
To mention a few: the ability to communicate,
network and to remain open to new ideas
and suggestions. These important skills are
salient to any profession in SL and of course
RL. As for SL modeling, looking great is quite
accessible but a powerful individual will rely on
their natural ability to present themselves true
to the core.

A.C.: Aside from modeling, what other hobbies
do you have?
M.B.: My RL/SL partner Todd Anton and I
often engage in various activities here on
SL and one hobby that I particularly enjoy is
photography. I do like to keep a check on the
amount of photography work I do to ensure
I remain continually inspired by each and
every photo I take. I am also Toddâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal
photographer which I absolutely love doing
because he inspires me so greatly and he has
such an imaginative, creative vision. He has an
incredible eye for detail too which keeps me on
top of my game.
A.C.: If you could do anything else besides
modeling, what would it be?
M.B.: Because modeling has always been such
an integral part of my enjoyment in SL, I find
it difficult to imagine doing anything else. In
the future, I do foresee myself entering in the
modeling management arena. At the same
token, I am following the path I chose and I
am enjoying it without question.
A.C.: Do you have any favorite stores in SL?
M.B.: My favorites are constantly changing
in accordance with what inspires me at that
moment, but I would have to say that there
are some stores which have permanent tenure
on my favorites list. CheerNo is definitely one

of them. There are so many stores which are
smaller but have the most amazing “knick
knacks” like Reek, Scar, Mr Poet and GOS to
name a few. I am really thoroughly impressed
by Baiastice at present because so many of their
items can be dressed up or down essentially
creating your own unique take of the clothing.
A.C.: Do you have any tips for aspiring models?
M.B.: I feel direction is really the key. It’s really
important to have an idea on what you expect
from the industry and it should always be fun,
without question. An initial step is to gather an
understanding of what you want to bring to
the industry. A unique approach will always be
favored.
Be inspired, persist and learn. Always remain
open to new ideas and suggestions. Take grasp
of what you learn from the industry and return
it with your own interpretation. Enjoy every
opportunity. Be respectful. Appreciate it and
embrace it.
With a style and personality of his own, Mikey
Batriani has been able to stand out and get
noticed in an industry that is competitive and
ever changing. His skills and persistence help
him to stay sharp and focused. Not only is he
one to watch out for, but he is one to remember.
No doubt we will see his name continue to
make waves throughout Second Life.
A

AVENUE | Mohna Lisa Couture 2011

Miss Mohna Lisa Couture 2011:

Saleena Hax
Written by Sensuous Soulstar
Photography by Natasja Schumann

F

or one woman, January 9, 2011 is a day
that will forever be a part of her legacy: it
was the day she was crowned Miss Mohna
Lisa Couture 2011 in a ceremony befitting a
queen. Her grace, elegance, creativity and
ability to make wearing Mohna Lisa Couture
look effortless, made her stand out amongst
a select group of fifteen finalists. With a
newfound love for Mohna Lisa Couture, Saleena
Hax took her determination, poise, charm and
refined sense of style and fused that with the
amazingly sexy and sophisticated designs from
Mohna Lisa Couture, to rise to the top out of
150 initial entries. In a splendid ceremony
held at the newly renovated Patch Thibaud
Auditorium, Hax gracefully floated down the
runway wearing a stunning Mohna Lisa Couture
gown as she received the crown and new title
of Miss Mohna Lisa Couture 2011. Still donning
the glow from her win, and the proud title
high above her head, Hax graciously sat down
with AVENUE to give us a sneak peek into the
woman behind the crown.
Sensuous Soulstar: Congratulations on
your crowning achievement as Miss Mohna
Lisa Couture 2011! Why did you decide to get
involved with Mohna Lisa Couture? What is, or
was it, about the designs that drew you to the
brand? What is it that you aspire to bring or
add to the brand as its official representative?
Saleena Hax: To be honest, the displays
are what really caught me. To see them on a
human figure helped me to decide what dress
I wanted, what look I could do with it and what
hair would be most striking. It is completely
different from selecting a dress from a photo.

At MLC, you see how the dress works on what
shape, and you can picture yourself more
easily wearing this or that dress to bring out
the best in you. Plus, from the draping - to
the ruffles - to the color combinations, MLC is
really beautiful clothing at an affordable price.
Elegance and class shouldn’t break the bank. I
want to convey a sense of poise and romance
for the brand. It’s perfectly fine to be classy and
tasteful, but with MLC garments you can also
let yourself be sensual and romantic without
having to do anything to do it.
S.S.: Now, how did you even get involved with
the Miss Mohna Lisa Couture 2011 contest?
What was your initial goal when you entered
and how did you prepare yourself for the big
event?
S.H.: I got involved by accident. My thenpartner and I were going out and I wanted a
knockout dress that hugged my body well, and
a friend sent me the landmark for MLC. Once
I got there, I was taken with the displays!
It was, and still is, so original and striking! I
ended up leaving with 3 dresses and a form
to enter the contest! The first goal in my mind
was to, at least, place in the finals. That to me
was a huge dream. When I was told I made
the finals, I screamed but then my mind went
to work with the next step: “what do I need to
do to win the Crown?” I shook off the pressure
and nerves and just did my best, and relied
on that. Sometimes, that is all you have to get
you through those moments. You have to trust
yourself, your instincts and your own abilities.
S.S.: And it seems your instincts were just

just right. Tell me a little about the competition
itself. What were your feelings once the
contest began, and how did you feel about
your competition?
S.H.: The competition was overwhelming! I
was thinking to myself: “oh please let me just
place!” And, as we stood backstage, we were
all in VPC chatting and laughing. It really took
the edge off and it just came down to “do your
best,” which I think we all did. We all knew each
other from around the modeling community. It
was like standing with your sisters; there was
no animosity and we just encouraged each
other. With Jasmine Night, Michela Benazzi and
Mohna Lisa also in VPC, joking and bantering
away, the whole thing passed like an extended
family gathering. The venue was amazing!
It was held at the Patch Thibaud Auditorium
and it was so large, airy and bright. It was
really amazing! It went from 150 entries - to
15 finalists - to the winner. Every single lady
deserved to win; truly, I was just lucky enough
to win and even now, I am still shaking.
S.S.: What is involved with your new role as
Miss Mohna Lisa Couture 2011? What was the
prize, and are there any duties that you have
with the new role?
S.H.: Well it is my first ever title-win so I am still
excited from the experience. But as the face of
Mohna Lisa, I will always try to carry myself
as a respectable, worthy representative of the
brand. The clothing itself speak volumes for its
quality, so I think I have to catch up to that.
My prize package is also very generous: a new
design named after me, all of the new releases

from MLC during my reign, and a cash prize.
Also, both I and the two runner-ups, Federica
Galtier and Annie Zorric, will be featured on
the MLC blog, the MLC Moolto group and the
MLC Facebook group. Our photos will also be
displayed in the store for the month of January,
so it is truly an honor.
S.S.: Let’s get a little into your background,
to give the readers a better idea about the
new face of Mohna Lisa Couture. When and
how did you decide that you were interested
in modeling? What was your first step towards
that goal, including attending any schools?
S.H.: After I took my first few classes, I knew
this was for me. The instructors actually
encouraged the students to continue their
education and learn all that they could. I asked
all sorts of questions until I was out of breath,
but knew I had to stick with it. I asked my
fellow models about their skins, hairs and eyes,
and I began reading profiles and applying at
more agencies and schools. I have attended
MPI, EVANE, and MA, and am currently taking
classes at OPIUM and the MVW Academy.
S.S.: While I know that modeling takes a great
deal of your time, tell me about your Second
Life® outside of modeling. Are there any other
things that you’re working on, any other jobs
or positions, and what do you do just to relax
and enjoy your time?
S.H.: I own my own business and I am a
graphic designer that designs store layouts for
independent businesses and I have two Boston
Terriers. I also volunteer for a domestic abuse

center and I am trying to foster a female Boston
that was rescued from a puppy mill. I think the
end result is I am going to have THREE Boston
terriers, lol.
S.S.: As always, we want to thank you for taking
the time out to answer our questions, and to
leave the readers on a positive note. With that
being said, do you have any advice that you’d
care to share with any aspiring models that
may be looking to get into the industry?
S.H.: Don’t get discouraged! Every model gets
rejected, including Super Models. It’s not how
many you don’t get that counts, it’s the ones
you do get. Make the most of every experience,
ask questions and never stop learning. It will
pay off down the road.
S.S.: We look forward to the year ahead with
the reigning Miss Mohna Lisa Couture for
2011, Saleena Hax, as well as the upcoming
releases from Mohna Lisa Couture, including
the anticipated design named after the winner.
For the latest news and updates, remember to
check out the blog at: http://mohnalisacouture.
blogspot.com, or just head straight over to the
main store located at: Braindead [119.180.813]

A

AVENUE |Fun with Fashion

I

Written, Modeled, Styled by Vixie Rayna
Photography by Lulu Jameson

t’s easy to find yourself inspired by the
colors around you yet perplexed with how
to tie them together. This month’s column
proves a pop of color can add an unexpected
twist to any outfit. You just have to find the
color that speaks through your style.
Miamai’s Kajsa plays up the feminine of browns
with the addition of pink socks. Sissy Pessoa
of Baiastice shows us that monochromatic teal
is best with nuances of tone and texture. The
Secret Store found a rich jewel toned palette to
showcase a delicious pattern.
Fashion is fun when you take the time to step
out of the box and take risks. Color can be
your way to experiment with styling. Look
for combinations that stand out and push
the envelope of conventional complimentary
colors. Yes we all love black, but after a while
it becomes very expected. Shake up your new
year!
And, remember... Fashion is Fun!

DIRAM’s
e
c
n
a
g
o
r
r
A
is Bliss!
Written by Imani Enzo
Photography by Annough Lykin

D

epending upon who you ask, the word
arrogance can have both negative
and positive connotations. Some find
arrogance to be attractive, inspirational, and a
symbol of power. Others are not terribly impressed
by arrogance. In fact, they find it annoying and
are totally put off by it. For the past couple months
in Second Life®, Arrogance has been bliss! That
is because it represents the name of Djod Karu’s
highly anticipated new collection for her very
popular DIRAM label.

Last year, Djod graced us with Scandalous, one of
the most daring and fashion forward collections
on the grid. In short, the collection was a
masterpiece that enabled us to dress and feel like
some of the world’s biggest celebrities. The line
was an enormous success for DIRAM and left us
all anxiously wondering what Djod would come
up with next.
The wait is now over and DIRAM certainly did
not disappoint. Arrogance was introduced to
her adoring fans with all the fanfare, glitz, and
glamour one would associate with rock stars and
Hollywood starlets in a recent AVENUE Models
Production.
The red carpet show was nothing short of fabulous
and featured precision choreography, as well as a
killer soundtrack produced by AVENUE’s CEO and
show host, Rusch Raymaker. AVENUE Models,
which included 13 Cortes, Jesika Contepomi, Bety
Dudek, Mimmi Boa, and Seashell Dench, turned
in stellar supporting performances with their
exceptional styling and fierce modeling skills.
As expected, the breakout stars of this show were
the designs of DIRAM’s Arrogance Collection.
The superiority of this haute couture line was
immediately apparent the moment the first model
hit the runway. Each gorgeous design tested the
limits of fashion by merging opulence and luxury
with urban style. Djod’s gusty move was pure
genius and resulted in fashions that are even hotter
and edgier than the previous DIRAM collections.
The audience was treated to fifteen ensembles,
each offering a different perspective of urban
luxury ranging from casual to daring to elegant

chic. While the collection was clearly influenced
by some of this season’s most popular trends
including military styled jackets, fur, lace, spikes,
and bodysuits, Djod Karu managed to take the
trends to another level with her use of vibrant
colors, intricate detailing, and unique accessories.
Further, the luxurious look and feel of the Arrogance
collection was elevated and given dramatic flair
with Djod’s use of the color black in the stunning
and more upscale Arrogance designs shown in
the second and third walks. Simply put, there
was nothing run of the mill about this brilliant
collection and the designer’s creativity and talent
were highlighted in every single piece. Arrogance
gave us luxurious urban styling. It gave us lots
of attitude and ultimately, Arrogance proved its
superiority.
After getting a glimpse of Arrogance, urban
stylists, couture lovers, and fashionistas alike were
itching to get their hands on the DIRAM designs.
Unfortunately, they were forced to wait two
additional weeks for its release because Arrogance
teased us. However, since the AVENUE production
left no doubt that Arrogance was indeed a star
that deserved the top billing it commanded, and
we willingly waited for a chance to add the fierce
looks to our inventories.
Finally, Arrogance is here and some of us are
already anxious to see what Djod has in store for
us next. At the end of the day, it really doesn’t
matter what your opinion of the word arrogance
is, we all can appreciate the fact that in DIRAM’s
case, Arrogance lived up to all the hoopla and
made good on its bravado.
A

AVENUE | GOLden Shopping

C’est Tres Beau
Written and Photographed by Vixie Rayna

G

OLden Shopping at GOL 5 has the
pleasure of working with some of the
most talented content creators. Kimmera
Madison of Tres Beau has a long virtual history
and has been a part of Second Life® since the
beginnings; she will have her 8 year anniversary
in May 2011. She proves each day is an
opportunity to learn and grow and it’s evidenced
in her sensational designs. Join me as I take
some time to sit down with this virtual virtuoso.

Vixie Rayna: It’s always fun to start at the
beginning. What brought you to SL? What did
you think of this world?
Kimmera Madison: What brought me to SL
was a friend that had known me from a past
virtual world, knew I did content creation and
knew I’d love SL. He was so right! My first
impression was...whoa...I looked around for
about 15 minutes and joined the Beta Team
LOL! SL was so different, it wasn’t as cartoon-y
as other programs, the creation opportunities
were endless, the whole place was exciting.
That will be 8 years ago in May.
VR: How did you enter the world of SL Fashion?
Tell us about your first design.
KM: LOL, well, after exploring SL from top to
bottom, playing with prims, and general noobie
goofing off, I got rather tired of my default
clothing. There were very few designers back
then, and 1 mall that I recall. I had Photoshop,
wasn’t all that versed in it, but in my typical
behavior, I was dying to try it out. Back in
2003/2004, we did a lot of clubbing, though
we really only had two clubs, LOL. I wanted
something fun to wear besides my default
jeans and my default green sweater, so I made
a handful of club outfits, 5 to start. My very
first creation was a sheer white club outfit
with lace edges. Lace...Tres Beau...who’d
have thought.LOL! The outfits I made were all
system layer creations, no prims, we hadn’t

really begun to add things then. It was a hit,
people would ask me where I got it, was I going
to sell it, I figured, ..why not...and I placed a
vendor at a friends tiny club on a 512 parcel
and Tres Beau was born. Those 5 outfits did
quite well, so I moved my vendor to my own
512 plot, built a little gazebo that I still place
out today (sentimental), set out my vendor
and the first Tres Beau store was born. Now
Tres Beau takes up a full sim and has over 400
items currently.
VR: Personally, I adore your style. It’s classic
with unique updates! Like a classic ruffled
blouse with super voluminous sleeves. What
inspires your work?
KM: All sorts of things inspire me, the fashion
feeds from New York, Paris, Italy, Magazines,
Catalogs, people I see at the mall in RL, clothing
I own and love, a flowering bush. You name it,
inspiration comes in many forms.
VR: I’m dying to know... which are your most
popular designs?
KM: Hmmm, my all time best seller (that I
have a record of) is Winter Whites, a white
wool pant suit and lace bodice with a long wool
trench coat over it and a matching fedora, very
classic and a suit I own in real life and love.
Others would include an evening gown named
Cherish that was inspired by my dear friend
Jasmine Night. Older creations would include a

club outfit from 2004 called Claw. After 6 years,
almost 7 years of designing, I have seen a lot
of creations come and go :)
VR: The Winter Whites is phenomenal! From
all of your years of work, which design are you
most proud?
KM: I would have to say it’s the wedding gown
called Teaa, I just love that gown and have
had many thank me for making it. I design in
SL for the pure love of creating something; I
am an artist in many forms in RL. But I have
to say, my most touching moment was when a
gal, who in RL has a lot of health and physical
issues, discovered SL, got to play and do things
she can’t in RL, fell in love, married wearing
my Teaa gown, and IM’d me thanking me
for making her feel beautiful, glamorous and
making her wedding day perfect. Well, I love
what I do, but hearing that I helped a lovely
lady experience something so special, I was in
tears. How can it get better than that?
VR: What should your fans expect next? Tell
us what you are working on :P
KM: Mesh..thats if I ever figure out my Maya
program. (Gives her Maya the evil Kim look).
VR: Designing in Second Life is very complicated
work. What drives you to create here? What is
your biggest struggle with design in a virtual
world?

KM: What drives me is the same thing that
drives me to do all the other things I attempt in
life, that curiosity and desire to create. In RL,
I am a certified Pastry Chef and Sugar Artist; I
create cakes like those that you see in all the
cake TV shows these days. I have interviewed
with TLC to be on the Great American CakeOff.
I also create jewelry and am currently exploring
metal smithing. I don’t sit still much - LOL
What is my biggest challenge in designing in a
virtual world, well, I would have to say keeping
up with the trends and skills to attempt them.
But as I mentioned before, I love that aspect
of it!
VR: Thank you for taking the time to speak
with me. Is there anything you would like to
add?
KM: Yes there is, I would like to wholeheartedly
applaud and thank all the people in SL that give
their all in whatever it is they set out to do, you
make SL what it is...an exciting, wonderfully
creative forum where we can meet people from
every walk of life and from all over the world.
I know this sounds a bit sappy, cheesy, but I
truly mean it. SL is an amazing creation, even
with its flaws, the imagination and passion that
goes into it is so exciting and a joy to discover.
So again, thank you!

A

AVENUE |Architecture & More

Written By Joie Lefavre
Photography By Annough Lykin

U

home

rbanizeD is a store full of unique
designs. But the first thing I noticed
was not the beautiful items for sale. It
was the incredible design of the store itself. I
am normally wandering Second Life速 with my
graphics turned down. My processor loves me
for that. Looking around, though, I had to turn
them up to Ultra because I wanted to see the
extent of the amazing design. The store itself is
a piece of art, accentuating the very furnishing
displays it was built to house. I was fortunate
enough to find pitsch Parx actually at the store
when I visited, and he was very generous with
his time, giving me insight to both the shop
design as well as his home furnishings and
garden items.

U rbanizeD

The concept and creation of the store was
done by Parx himself, and he credits his real
life city for planting the seed of inspiration. “I
live in a big city,” he says, “so think a lot of my
inspiration comes from what I see there.” The
feel of the store itself enhances the display of
the furniture. It is open, airy, and simplistically
elegant. As Parx says, “the showcase is more
focused,” and there are no distractions with
busy walls.
Parx’s design for the store has a much deeper
plan than just aesthetics. In his words, “the store
is built in the idea of the climate changing...
after the poles have melted and we are now on
one of the arks that are floating around...one
for furniture, one for the garden. The shape
comes from the big tankers. They mostly look
like a big city too, floating on water.” Parx
believes that the people in SL® are leaning
more toward green, organic styles because
these are the things that are disappearing in
the real world.
His furniture is a clean, modern reflection
of that. With clean lines and yet a touch of
the past (some of his textures in the texturechange frames feature old, distressed styles),
that are industrial and yet elegant. He keeps
various collections of color-based themes
available with low prim, highly detailed styles.
Several are menu-driven with multiple poses or
texture options.
Currently, Parx has his winter collection
available, but has big plans for changes to come
with the summer collection. “Frozen,” which

is a set featuring icy blues and whites will be
replaced by “Bali” which will feature tropical
blues, greens and whites. “Mono” will go from
the stark winter contrasts of black, white and
gray, to a more retro theme of black, white, and
bright vibrant colors such as primary blue, red
and lime green. “Masai” will be, as Parx puts
it, “very dark Africa , dark reds, burnt woods
tones; very warm shades, but still very ethnic.”
Last will be “Dubai,” full of neutral and faded
tones. It is what Parx calls a “story about noncolor,” faded, organic, natural, and more pastel.
“Dubai” will be softer and more feminine than
the other collections.
Looking to the North, one can easily see
the beautiful Gardens. Filled with grasses,
wildflowers, weeds and the very makings
of a fantasy field, the low prim Garden area
offers a vast selection for sim builders and SL
residents of all types. Each uniquely designed
meadow is only one prim, allowing areas to
be built with as much realism or whimsy as
the creator wants, without cutting deeply into
the prim count. Not wanting to repeat what
is already available in the Second Life world,
Parx has “made a mix”... part natural look, but
mixed with more fairylike elements. The end
result? Golden wheat fields, ethereal flower
meadows, dream-like landscaping, all perfect
for photographers, role-play sims, and more!
Coming soon in the summer collection will
not only be new flowers and color themes to
coordinate with his furniture collection, but
larger meadow options as well. He will offer

20m x 20m single prim meadows for those
who have a lot of space to cover but not a
lot of prims available. Hello homestead owner
Heaven!
In short, people who want a well put together
piece of virtual property can find some fantastic
items here by a builder with vision. Well worth
the price on the tags (which, by the way, is
what you need to click to make a purchase),
the furniture, the hanging plants, the paintings,
and even exterior design can be put together
to make any modern Second Liferâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home look
amazing. Another great build in SL, making
the fantasy that much richer. Thank you pitsch
Parx.
A

Dubhan
Written by Joie Lefavre
Photography by Annough Lykin

AVENUE |Sim Review

U

pon landing on the ship to Dubhan,
curious role players are greeted with
a message: “You awaken to calm
seas and realize the ship has already docked
while you were sleeping.” From the very first
moment of arrival, guests and residents alike
are welcomed and fully immersed into a whole
new world of what once might have been,
either in reality, or in someone’s dreams.

“I’ve been role-playing for a few years now,
and brought Cami into it not long ago. What
I noticed was that if you were not a known
player you were ignored and if you were not
the greatest ‘role player’ they really wouldn’t
take the time to help you. We wanted to create
a place where everyone felt welcome and
where everyone got at least some RP time. We
wanted to give players something to do, even
when the traffic is low, so we created a number
of hunts and quests to keep them on the sim
while enjoying themselves” explains Elizabet
Fallen, co-owner and Queen of Dubhan.
The sim was built with a hefty dose of research
and planning integrated into a vision of fantasy
that can only be accomplished on a platform
such as Second Life®. From the very details of
the wood used in an era of knights, fair maidens
and simple but epic lives of which sonnets and
tales were founded, to the mystical adventures
into the darker side of magic, details were
conceived, sketched, and then built… mostly
by the very residents of the sim itself.
When asked how the build was inspired,
Kimber Carolina responded, “Well most of the
time when I start on a building I find ideas
searching the internet. I’d find pictures of
medieval towns as well as cottages and I drew
from there… and we did try to keep it as close
to historical as possible, but technically a lot of
the wood trim we added for depth would be
considered more Tudor. That’s the great thing
about us being fantasy as well, we could fudge
it a bit.”

The beauty of the sim is wonderful, and
scheduled to change soon from the snowcovered winter scene to a more colorful spring.
The build is not the most remarkable thing
about the Dubhan, however. In asking the
sim patrons what their favorite things about
Dubhan are, there is a clear and unanimous
winner: the people!
Just ask Constance Graves, who agrees “the
people, the attention to detail, and the fact
that people are assisted in developing their
characters… the combination of both RP
and the builds.” She should know, as she is
currently “a Novice Mage that upon arriving
and seeking employment has found herself in
the good Graces of the Queen and appointed
Chancellor.”
Kimmie Huckleberry agrees, saying, “Everyone
is very friendly and helpful. I’m kinda new to
RP and SL for that matter, and they have been
very patient with me.”
Madtheos Cazalet, resident bad boy (he plays a
drow with a penchant for poison) says, “friendly
greetings went a long way… I am far more
willing to put effort into a place that welcomes
you literally with open arms. I mean... a sim
manager was willing to be poisoned to give my
character an ‘in’.”
In addition to some great role play opportunities,
the sim itself is full of welcoming and helpful
people. This offers a wide range to those both
new to and experienced with role play. In
speaking with Dima Plessis, I inquired about
the role play in Dubhan. She replied, “Most of

the players seem pretty good, with a few newer
players scattered throughout. I haven’t been
here long enough to really get a story going
for myself, but I do see bits of other peoples’
stories so I know they are out there.”
Or, to put it in the terms of the sim’s Duchess
and co-owner Camiyah Fallen, “We have some
very serious RPers, some very funny RPers,
some beginners and some veterans, so it’s
always interesting.”
Dubhan is a safe place for all who are age
verified to learn how, or to practice role play.
The sim residents took a vote about moving
to an age-verified rating due to the teen grid
merger, even though the sim does not allow
public nudity or public sexual acts. Camiyah
puts it like this, “while we are mature, we are
adults and many have their own homes; teens
playing in some of that is not ...um tasteful
in the least. We are adults and would like to
play as adults without worry.” It is a blend of
free-form liberties and creative background

structure. As Weaving Faith Sylvan elf, novice
mage and herb shop owner puts it, “the admin
let the players really RP; they don’t make us
follow a script or try and control the RP in any
way.” That seems to be a good strategy, as
players enjoy the storyline of the sim while still
being able to develop each one’s own character
and story.
The following is from the History of Dubhan:
“The realm of Dubhan dates back to before
man knew of time and space. The large island
sits far off the coast of Ireland and has been
protected by an ancient elven spell which hides
it from sight. Only those with knowledge of its
exact location are able to find its shores.
For years Dubhan remained untouched by
outsiders and only its native races (Elves, Fae,
and Satyrs) could claim it as home, but war
broke out among the races, causing the magic
barrier to weaken and reveal the island to a
group of human knights who were sailing in
search of a place to hide away an ancient relic.
These knights hid their relic deep within the
land, hoping that the natural magic would keep
it hidden from those who would seek to use it
for evil.
After 20 years, The Elven Wars finally ended.
The Light Elves were able to defeat their darker
cousins, with the help of the other native
races, but the lands had been ravaged and all
had surmounted great losses. Most of them
receded back into their woods and mountains,
remaining in hiding... The native races have
slowly begun to come out of hiding and many

Elizabet Fallen, Queen of Dubhan
and Camiyah Fallen, Duchess Dubhan

tentative alliances have been formed with the
Queen and the other races.
For now the realm seems peaceful, but with
so much tension between all the races, one
wrong move could put the realm back at war.”
This has proven to be an effective lead-in, along
with the offer of six guilds and a wide array
of races. There have been several character
types I witnessed in my visits. There is a wild
and curious fairy that does not understand the
human language and bears more likeness to a
dangerously beautiful forest creature than to
the blonde haired, wand-wielding type we have
seen in films. Hiding in the darkness of what
appears to be a ghost-town, riddled with the
bones of long-dead (or perhaps not so long)
trespassers was the rogue bandit that promised
danger if one paused long enough. By walking
beyond the henge, one can witness trust being
tested and earned between a Sylvan elf and a
High elf, the haunting of the past put aside.
I believe that it is the players of Dubhan who
describe it the best. Ssa Darkfury mentions,
“I can come here and be someone I am not
in RL. Handsome, witty, a semi-deranged,
womanizing and half-drunk miller. The women
shoot me down and we all laugh. But there is
enough like RL that I can relate to my character.
In RL I am semi-deranged and get shot down
by women at least twice as much! It’s a great
way to relieve tension.”
Lander Hancroft, First Knight, GM and
Champion Guild Leader, says that his favorite
three things about Dubhan are the diversity and

"the amount of people
you have isn’t the issue;
it’s simply how much
the people playing love
it. We couldn’t do it
without them."

backgrounds of the people, the rich structures,
beautiful land which we live in and the times
that we play in... the medieval is full of code,
honor, lawlessness... I think this kind of sim and
the time period is romance... chivalry, knights...
damsels in distress... It’s just damn fun.”
The one who seems to sum it up the best,
though, is Camiyah Fallen. She gives a great
example of the true vision for Dubhan in her
most dearly held memory of the sim. “When
Elizabet and I started Dubhan, we didn’t bring
a lot of friends with us; literally we built it from
scratch. We RPed one of the first nights when
we had no one here; how she kidnapped me and
brought me here to help her. We had a grand
time. That’s when I realized that the amount of
people you have isn’t the issue; it’s simply how
much the people playing love it. We couldn’t do
it without them; they support us too. We value
them so much; so very much.”
A

virtualM

AVENUE | Interesting Sims

MINE

Written by Joie Lefavre
Photography by Natasja Schumann

W

ith recent tragedies across the map
involving workers trapped beneath
the earth, oil spilling into waterways,
natural gas prices rising, and the push for solar
and wind energy, the time is ripe for social
education on energy. Jeremy Barnside and
the group “Deep Down” realized that Second
Life ® offers an excellent platform for reaching
millions of people and getting the education
out there about what really happens with the
coal energy process. Backed by the MacArthur
Foundation and the Independent Television
Service, the group took a virtual island and
created an interactive demonstration of the
entire process.
Upon landing, visitors are immediately offered
a hard hat. Safety first in mine areas, always!
Those who really want to learn about the
process with a safer hands-on type of training
can make their ways from the log cabin porch
over to the billboard with instructions, options,
and the start of the “game.” I took the
challenge, more than once, and ran out of time
again and again. It seems that creating energy
sufficient to power a town takes a whole team.
One person is not enough. My 7 year old son
had a lot of fun trying, though.
The process begins by clearing the mountain
top of trees. This is probably one of the
biggest complaints about coal energy; the
environmental impact of mining. For energy
to be formed, though, something has to be
sacrificed. In this case, the trees are cleared
and the surface of the mountain blasted through
(the virtual blasting was very well built and
scripted I might add, with the “site foreman”

shouting for the area to be cleared before the
blast) before the coal is actually gathered and
processed. Time is ticking, though, and energy
is needed; no time to waste racing the dozers,
or the loaded coal trucks!
Once the team has gathered the coal and
brought it to the train, it is taken across the
river to the plant where it is turned from a
simple carbon into the energy needed to fuel
the small, quaint town nearby. This little
area, based on a real-world area in Maytown,
Kentucky, strikes a familiar chord. Having lived
in coal-country in Indiana for years, I have
driven past and even lived minutes from coal
mines without giving it a second thought. This
simulation, from the blasting site to the local
library, rings true to the life experience.
The inspiration for this build comes from
Deep Down filmmakers Sally Rubin and Jen
Gilomen, Bay Area Video Coalition’s Wendy
Levy, and developers from Sand Castle
Studios.
The entire concept of building a
simulation such as this was based on the need
for education. In visiting the website, http://
www.deepdownfilm.org , teachers can even
find a link with suggested formats for exposing
students to this opportunity to learn first-hand.
In taking the actual tour provided by the sim
owner group, the proper steps can be followed
to maximize the learning experience.
The process includes several steps throughout
the sim, and offers perspectives from both the
consumer and the supplier as we move through
it. Beginning with the coal mining, the HUD
provided allows the participants to monitor not

only the time ticking away, but the demand for
energy, as well as the environmental and social
impacts to the area. There are visual clues
to the changes happening as the dust plumes
into the air, the ground shakes, and the trucks
rumble their way up and down the hill.
Next comes the town, where we learn about
demand. What ways can we reduce the need
for energy? The sim offers a “black out”
experience, where all lights go off and an idea
of what life would be like without the energy
provided is seen. Various appliances are turned
off, energy-reducing changes are pointed out,
and then step three….
Alternative energy is a welcome, and in
SL, free option. Visitors are encouraged to
consider different options for providing energy,
considering the pros and cons, and even
putting together wind turbines to supplement
the coal burning energy. Sustainable energy is
discussed, and the entire experience provokes
users to give careful thought to their own lives.
Where does our energy come from? How are
we able to enjoy the Second Life experience?
What can we do to reduce our own impact on
the world’s energy consumption?
When the party is over (there is actually a
platform to enjoy an Appalachian style square
dance), young and young of heart alike are
left with not only a great experience, but some
important issues to think about; and can make
more informed decisions based on that. This is
a great way to educate yourself, your children,
your classrooms, your colleagues. Another
great sim to enrich our Second Lives.
A

Information taken from actual experience at
the Virtual Mine sim, as well as the website
www.deepdownfilm.org.

AVENUE |Business Feature

2ndHub
AvMatch
and

SL Friendship and Dating Made Easy
Written by Spruce Canning
Photography by Blaz Halfpint

T

here are many reasons that one logs into
Second Life®. Besides all the live music
events and myriad ways to express one’s
creativity and self-expression. The main part of
ANY social media or virtual world is finding likeminded people to share one’s virtual existence
with. To answer that need, Mason Kingsford
created the 2ndHub and AvMatch websites for
SL® Residents to meet and develop friendships
and for some people, romantic relationships. I
had the distinct pleasure to speak to Mason
Kingsford about 2ndHub and AvMatch and he
was very happy to explain how his websites
enhance the Second Life Experience for many
residents.

Spruce Canning: What was your motivation
to start 2ndHub and AvMatch and how does it
contribute to the social fabric of the Grid?
Mason Kingsford: I was using Second Life way
back at the end of 2006 and lot of the friends I had
were really into the relationship aspect. I saw a lot
of difficulty with people trying to find compatible
partners or friends with things in common. I
had the idea to create AvMatch as a way to help
Second Life users find potential partners or friends
more effectively. I already had the programming
experience, so I set out to build AvMatch from
scratch in order to tailor it specifically to Second
Life users. 2ndhub came about a little later, after
AvMatch was already established and growing.
2ndhub is in collaboration with my friend Taliesin
Llanfair (SL name). The original idea behind
2ndhub was to create a site for web-enabled inworld scripted tools for aid of businesses. However,
we also saw the need for a social platform for the
users and thought that connecting social with the
tools aspect would be a great companion site to
AvMatch. 2ndhub is very open and you use your
Second Life username, so it’s not an anonymous
environment. In comparison, AvMatch is strictly
private, and you are only allowed to share your
identity with other members through the AvMatch
mailbox or live chat feature. While AvMatch is
really used to simply meet new people, either for
romantic relationships or even just for friends,
2ndhub is more about sharing your Second Life
experience with other users, while at the same
time promoting any businesses or groups you
may have. Both sites are ‘SL connected’ in that

private messages that you receive on the sites
will be sent to you while in-world. 2ndhub goes a
step further and allows you to send group notices,
with landmarks and even attachments, directly
to your 2ndhub group members’ in-world. You
are able to create personal, business and group
profiles, post to your profile, friend people, link
to other sites, show and link to Flickr images, as
well as setup event listings and much more. We
also have a HUD device, which stands for Heads
Up Display, that you can wear on your screen
while using Second Life. This HUD allows you
to post directly to your profile, send and receive
messages and alerts and also invite people to
your 2ndhub group. There is so much more to
2ndhub, and to get an idea of everything it does,
I’d recommend people visit our ‘visual site tour’:
http://www.2ndhub.com/about/tour.
We are also working on video tutorials for the site
and hope to start releasing those in the very near
future.
SC: How many registered accounts does 2ndHub/
AvMatch have to date and how many of those
accounts use the service on a given day?
MK: AvMatch has had nearly 17,000 sign ups since
it’s inception, which is almost 3 years ago now. It
currently has almost 14,000 valid accounts, but
to be honest, not all of those are actively using
the site at the same time. There are hundreds of
logins each day, hundreds of new members each
month, and thousands of visitors and members
logging in! We’ve served now well over a half a
million messages between users. 2ndhub is a bit
more modest, but it is not even a full year old

yet. It has a few thousand active accounts, but in
overall usage, I’d say it’s about one third the size
of AvMatch, and growing all the time.
SC: Where do you see AvMatch in the Grid’s
singles scene and is AvMatch the first place that
singles look in order to find romance in Second
Life?
MK:I think AvMatch has established itself as the
number one site for Second Life users to go to
when looking for a date or a relationship. It is
definitely the first site of its kind for Second Life
users.
SC: How many successful matches have been
created from the use of the service?
MK: That I cannot say exactly, but I’d like to think
we’ve helped create hundreds of relationships,
if not thousands. I’m sure we’ve helped many
people meet new people and create friendships.
We have had feedback from users saying they
have gotten together in real life due to meeting
on the site. Beyond this, we do not have exact
statistics of matches, as not everyone reports
that information back to us.
SC: What would you tell a new member of
2ndHub/AvMatch when he or she puts their
profile out on the service for the first time?
MK: Well, if they are putting their profile on
AvMatch, I would suggest a number of things. First,
I’d suggest that they upload a variety of quality
pictures of their avatar. If they are comfortable
with their real life appearance, then a RL picture or
two never hurts. Second, I would suggest taking
the time to really fill out the profile properly, and
add in some real information about whom you

are and what you are seeking. I’d suggest people
keep their profiles positive and upbeat. Next I
would recommend being both patient and active
on the site. That means don’t be afraid to initiate
contact with other members. Waiting around for
contact might work for some, but the odds of
meeting more people are in your favor if you are
actively trying to make new connections. Finally,
I’d say remember that you’re going to meet all
types of people, just like in-world or other places
in life. Not everyone is going to mesh. Hundreds
of new people join every month, so if you don’t
find someone you click with right away, you may
find them later on after new people join.
As for 2ndhub, I’d recommend befriending people
and if you have a group of friends in world, try
to get them to join up as well. 2ndhub is less
a place to meet new friends, although this does
happen, and more a place to share with existing
friends and customers, and to promote yourself
or your business. Again, staying active is the key
to really enjoy 2ndhub and finding out about all
it has to offer. It is a very rich site with many nice
features and tools. A lot of our users really love
the service, and we look forward to adding many
new features in the months and years ahead!
SC: Would you use AvMatch yourself if you were
romantically inclined and would you recommend
it to your friends?
MK: Yes and yes.
SC: In conclusion, where do you see 2ndHub and
AvMatch in the Second Life social scene and will
it be the site of first reference for romantically
inclined SL residents?

MK: It is my hope that AvMatch continues to be
the go-to site for Second Life users when looking
to meet new users of Second Life from around the
world, whether it’s for just friends or for finding
that special someone for much more than just
friendship.
As for 2ndhub, I hope more people on the grid
discover it this year, and I hope it really takes off
as the premiere open social network for Second
Life users and business owners. It really is a
fantastic tool for sharing your SL experience and
for promoting yourself and your SL businesses.
The more people that end up using it, the more
amazing it is going to become!
As more and more people enter Second Life,
services such as AvMatch and 2nd Hub will become
more and more vital for residents as they seek
to branch out their social connections and find
romance with someone special that they meet
through the service. 2ndHub is for most residents
a way to promote themselves and their endeavors
throughout SL. AvMatch is comparable to Match.
com in the Real World and as Mason Kingsford
says, it has handled almost a million messages
between members and he is has brought so close
to the perfect tool that he himself would probably
get in to find his match! AVENUE coincides with
him in saying that it may be the best known way
to branch out into the social scene in world.
The URL’s for 2ndHub and AvMatch can be found
here.
http://www.avmatch.com
http://www.2ndhub.com
A

AVENUE | DJ of the Month

M

usic has been one of the most creative
outlets in Second Life速 as well as RL.
Rather you are writing music, singing
it, or creating moving beats while playing it,
music finds a way to move and inspire. I sat
down with music lover and DJ Kemmi Kamachi
to find out how he got his start with music in
Second Life.

Written by Augusta Carver
Photography by Blaz Halfpint

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I like music. And it is nice
to entertain people. I try to
create a certain atmosphereâ&#x20AC;?.

“Now I can go and only book
my couple of favorite DJ’s
but we have decided that
everyone should deserve a
chance”.
Augusta Carver: So how long have you been
a DJ in Second Life?
Kemmi Kamachi: I have been DJ-ing from
day one. Well, after exploring a day or three.
That would be 2007. I actually once read an
article about some DJ in SL®, and thought
I would give it a try. I made an account and
started looking for a place to spin.
AC: I see you are a DJ in RL as well, have you
been doing that for long?
KK: Yes, I got my first
turntables at the age
of 12. I started
spinning
at
school parties
and b-days.
Then later
in bars
a n d
clubs,
so it

feels like Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been always doing it.
AC: Awesome, you must have a great love for
music.
KK: Yes.
AC: What is your favorite thing about DJ-ing?
Why do you enjoy it so much?
KK: I like music. And it is nice to entertain
people. I try to create a certain atmosphere. It
is nice if that comes across the audience.
AC: I see that you are a co-founder of United
Beats and Virtual Club Code 415. For those
who do not know, care to tell us a little about
them?
KK: Sure. I was spinning at a club in SL and
some folks told me that they were building a
little club on a borrowed parcel. They liked
my music and asked if I wanted to spin there
once. I did once and then again and it became
a weekly thing, each Friday night. Well, those
folks and I are still running that Club till today.
It is over 3 years now. A lot has changed over
the years.
AC: That sounds like a lot of fun.
KK: Yes, it is. It does take a lot of work though.
We had a borrowed parcel at first, and then we
got a sim. I think it was in 2008 that the sim

prices went up a lot. As our aim had always
been to have non-commercial sim (no shops
etc.) it became very expensive for us to keep
the sim. We met another friend; a club owner
and rented the sim together. In time other
clubs joined and the United Beats community
was founded. Now we have the sim with 4
official UB clubs and many other music minded
people that rent a plot. Shops are kept to a
minimum and music is our main thing.
AC: That sounds like a great experience.
KK: It is a good meeting place for DJ’s and
producers.

that everyone should deserve a chance, if we
feel that they would fit our club that is. So
scouting for new good DJ’s is a big challenge.
There are a lot of DJ’s around, but we do not
like all kinds of music. I mean, we host the
club ourselves and have to listen to the music
for hours! So we’d like DJ’s that spin kind of
what we can enjoy. I used to tp all around SL
scanning for a good DJ, but that’s madness! So
we made an “open stage”. A plot where anyone
can spin that is fully automated. All instructions
come on a notecard you can get behind the DJ
booth and the stream is provided. If people
like “techno”, they will find United Beats soon
enough. The DJ’s are doing very well. So, yeah,
it is a lot of work.

AC: Is Techno music the only type you do?
KK: Basically, yes. But the term Techno
makes lot of people think of a specific type of
boom boom! LOL. Techno has many different
subgenres and has different styles. Nowadays
genres are sometimes hard to distinguish. It
varies from very sensitive or deep to the harder
styles one would expect. I like to spin myself
the slower more laid back styles.
AC: You mentioned earlier that it was a lot of
work with everything you have going. What do
you find to be the most challenging aspect?
KK: Well, my role in Code 415 is mostly
booking the DJ’s. Now I can go and only book
my couple of favorite DJ’s but we have decided

AC: Sounds like it can be, but rewarding if you
like it as well.
KK: Well, we get to know a lot of interesting
people this way. All music minded.
AC: Do you have any advice for music lovers
interested in DJ-ing?
KK: Yes, have fun doing it. That is most
important. I know that all DJ’s on SL do their
best! Just do what you like best. Some DJ’s
might not spin the style I personally like, but
if done really well, it is very much appreciated.
Basically, have your own style.

Kemmi Kamachi has an amazing passion
for not only being a DJ, but helping others
discover and further explore their love of
music and spinning tunes. With all of the great
places one can go to listen to music in SL and
get together with like-minded people, United
Beats/Code 415 is on that list. Dance to the
beats of contemporary electronic dance music
and discover a great place you wish that you
knew about long before you did. For more info
on United Beats, visit their website: http://
www.unitedbeats.com/index.php
A

AVENUE |Club of the Month

Immersed

In the Nightlife
Written by Augusta Carver
Photography by Rusch Raymaker

M

usic is the rhythmic pulse that keeps
us dancing, taping our feet, and
singing too. It has the power to uplift
our spirits and be consoled at the same time.
Be it singer, song-writer, musician, DJ, or music
lover, music can affect us all in more ways than
one. It is no doubt that music has played a
vital role in our society. Everything from loud,
head-banging concerts to religious ceremonies
has utilized the medium of music because of
its awe-inspiring qualities. Music is basically
the control of sound. We can control this
sound by varying the pitch, tempo, octaves,
and dynamics and so on. There are thousands
of ways that we can use music and to shape it
to how we want to hear it.

Second Life® has given us many different
outlets to explore music and all of its wondrous
genres. One place that helps us do that is
AVENUE’s featured club of the month, The
Fourth Dimension & Immersed Club.
Fmeh Tagore, resident of SL® for almost five
years and owner of The Fourth Dimension &
Immersed, has created a colorful and inviting
nightclub experience that is truly enjoyable.
Nightclubs are the best places to have some
time with your friends. The Fourth Dimension
is a good nightclub to dance the night away
in. The club has a variety of music genres to
groove to as well as live DJ’s. For those who
prefer to sit back and listen to the tunes with
a drink in hand, there are spots to do that
as well. A bonus treat is the underwater club
called Immersed, located right underneath the
Fourth Dimension. It is like stepping into a cool
magical world surrounded in water. Just like
the Fourth Dimension, this club has live DJ’s as
well as a steady stream of music.
Fmeh said that he “wanted to create something
graphically that I had not seen yet in Second
Life. Some of the graphics I initially used were
some layering work I had made for my forum
that I always thought looked cool and I wanted
to see if I could make multi-layered walls with
the same textures. It worked out really well
and I expanded it from there. I love multilayering. I just mainly hope that they have a
good time, but overall I’m hoping to give people
a relaxed feeling when they come. One of the
things I really wanted to have is a club that

doesn’t have flashing lights everywhere and
fast movement; I wanted something soothing,
and I hope people get that out of my club.”
Open to people in every walk of life, The Fourth
Dimension and Immersed club was created as
a place for people to come together, listen to
great music, and dance. What could be more
fun than that? Sometimes the same old night
clubs simply won’t suit the occasion. Every
once in a while you need something a little
extra special in order to set the tone for the
evening. If you enjoy visiting different clubs
and spaces in Second Life than you should
check this one out during your travels, it will
not be a disappointment. Be sure to visit on
Friday nights at 8pm-11pm SLT for their weekly
events. Soon there will be events on Tuesday,
Thursday, as well as Fridays. You can also check
out their website as well for more information:
http://thefourthdimensionclub.com
A

AVENUE |Media Mojo

Written by Isadora Fiddlesticks
Photography by Tillie Ariantho

Keeping it Surreal in
P

SL

ursuing learning and creativity has
always been two of the driving forces of
many of the people who choose to spend
their time in Second LifeÂŽ. Everywhere you
go, there isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t anywhere you cannot always be
mesmerized by something created in the world
and also learn a thing or two in the process.
Time spent in this virtual world is so rewarding
whenever we choose to see the virtual world
in a way that we can learn and be creative at
the same time.

Enter Pia Klaar, machinimator who came to SL
in 2007. With her machinima and her attitude
in learning combined, she makes machinima
that not only entertains, but also educates and
shows other possibilities meant for Second Life.
I have stumbled upon her machinima, ‘Surreal’
recently and had been absolutely fascinated
about her use of various places to present the
art and theory of Surrealism in Second Life.
Curious, I went to contact Pia Klaar and started
asking questions. Who is she? How did she get
into SL®? How did she get into machinima?
Thus this article is born.
I came to know that Klaar has been in SL since
2007, after a colleague of hers mentioned
how educators were using the virtual world to
teach. Since her background was teaching and
she also happens to love using new technology,
she quickly signed up. “I was intrigued with
SL, but also totally out of my element since I
had never used any type of computer “game”
before. So I spent the first couple of months
taking as many in-world classes as I could:
building, scripting, SL basics.”
She had this idea of Second Life as “a place
for students to use as an educational means”.
Thus, she spent about a year in the Teen Grid
to investigate the possibility. While in the grid,
she met someone who helps teenagers learn
machinima. She helped with the classes, and
soon enough was filming the weekly newscast
shows that the teens produced. “After filming

the teen newscast shows, I came back to
the Adult Grid and began filming educational
conferences as well as other workshops and
classes in the SL educational community. It was
around this time when I was asked to be part of
a group that was starting an online magazine
that would feature the librarian activities within
SL. Thus, I became the Multimedia Editor for
the RezLibris Magazine .”
Pia tells me her background is art and computers,
so was natural to make machinima. Her
degrees in Fine Arts, Educations and Masters
in Computers altogether combined gave her
the ability to create and make an impact
through her machinima. “One of the reasons I
love to create machinima is that I can use the
photography skills that I studied in art school
as well as the computer technology that I have
come to love. When I create machinima, I am
not a storyteller; one who tells a story with
words. Rather, I am an artist, a photographer,
who sets a mood, a scene, in which the viewer
can experience the ‘story’ through movement,
images, music and light. Because I film with
the ‘eye of the photographer’, I often will shoot
a scene a dozen times until I feel that the
camera angle, light and mood are perfect.”
Pia has this idea that SL gives an artist the
canvas on which to create images and stories
using its many tools that it offers. She then
describes her process, which begins with
an idea or a mood, then progressing to the

gathering of materials such as animations,
props, skin, hair, avatars who can participate
and then looking for sims that would work
best to portray the idea. Music comes next and
then she would start filming. “I often film the
same scene over and over again--until I feel
that I have it ‘right’. Everything is saved on
an external hard drive, for each film can have
about 60 to 100 GB of film clips. I edit using
the Adobe Creative Suite CS5 using Premiere
for the editing, Photoshop and After Effects for
other images and techniques that I am trying
to present. I also use such software tools as
Audacity and Virtual Dub for music or sound.
In addition I use a variety of SL viewers from
Kirstens, Phoenix, or at times, any new SL Beta
Viewer (for example the Mesh Project Viewer).”
Being a machinimator for several years
already has started to make her want to try an
experiential piece using different techniques.
So the machinima ‘Moments’ was born, but
she was not really sure how it would be
first received. Eventually she found out that
‘Moments’ has been so well received, that it
was featured at the MMIF Festive last year at
the Shanghai World Expo, and then again in
the 2010 Machinima Expo.
Pia shares that the idea for ‘Surreal’ was an
extension of the film ‘Moments’. “I wanted to
try out various techniques, to stretch my ability
and see what I could do. I thought that the
theme of Surrealism would work in a virtual

world like SL. I began by researching surreal
art and artists; gathering information, images
and ideas. Then, I began filming in in-world,
trying out different approaches and techniques.
From there I gradually built up the flow of
the machinima. I knew that I wanted to have
images and objects portrayed in ways that
they would not be in real life. Salvador Dali,
Man Ray and Rene Magritte are surreal artists
that I used for inspiration. As they do, I also
wanted to play with the images in a manner
that would leave the viewers to wonder “What
does that mean?”
It’s true, no other machinima has sought
out to portray Surrrealism and our sense of
wonderment, and in other times, bewilderment,
at some odd art installations in Second Life,
than the machinima ‘Surreal’ has. Better
yet, Klaar has captured and immortalized in
machinima how Second Life is now for her
an avenue of creativity. From initially realizing
SL as a place for educating and teaching, to
seeing SL’s endless possibilities and capacities
for creativity, what’s next for Pia Klaar?
“That’s a difficult question for me to answer. I
never know in what direction I will be heading
next in SL. I have gone from the Teen Grid, to
the educational community here in SL. Then
been part of a magazine for librarians. Now,
I mainly concentrate on machinima and am
involved in the SL art community as well as
numerous machinima groups.” Klaar muses

"I knew that
I wanted to
have images
and objects
portrayed in
ways that they
would not be in
real life"
that “Maybe I have completed the circle of
my travels here in the virtual world, and I feel
that although I began this journey as someone
‘exploring the possibilities of SL for education’,
I have realized instead its endless possibilities
and capacities for creativity. Musicians, artists,
writers, photographers, architects, dancers,
performers of all venues... have found a niche
here. My goal is to continue to try to capture
some of that magic.”
A

AVENUE |Arts Feature

1000
Written by Xandrah Sciavo
Photography by Annough Lykin

Avatars

and the Fabulous Gracie Kendal

I

f you visit the 1000 Avatars Project at
artist Gracie Kendal’s gallery at Artropolis
[146.29.3999], you will see the following
quote by Laura Mercier on the floor: “Think for a
minute about what makes you fabulous and how
you can celebrate it.” With her gallery of recent
work, Kendal makes a statement about the
many ways that our community of avatars are
unique, beautiful, and fabulous, indeed. From
super heroes to colorful nekos, and a ballerina

or beauty to round out the roster of images on
display, Kendal has captured a diverse range
of subjects as a part of her evolving project
that began in October of 2010 and continues
forward. Through the 1000 Avatars Project,
this insightful artist also explores how we as
people choose to construct our virtual identities,
and she seeks to discover information about
how, as a community of avatars, we represent
ourselves in a virtual world.

Gracie Kendal’s exploration of the manifestation
of virtual identity began during her real world
graduate studies, when working on her
university thesis in Studio Art, “The Gracie
Kendal Project - My Life as an Avatar.” During
her thesis, she transformed herself into her
avatar, Gracie, by coloring her own hair, piercing
her nose, and dressing in the same manner
as her avatar. Soon after, in early October
of 2010, Kendal was a featured artist at the
Caerleon Museum of Identity show, in which
each participant presented artwork related to
identity. The theme of the show was ambiguity,
and Kendal relates that her overall experience
with the show planted additional seeds that led
her to creation of the 1000 Avatars Project, an
idea that had roots reaching back two to three
years prior. “I had actually thought of doing
a project in real life called ‘50 most beautiful
people.’ I was going to do portraits of avatars
and cut them out like cutout dolls and put them
in collages. Then I saw a couple that I had
done and chucked the idea. Well, that idea,
I think, took root in the 1000 avatars project
somewhere.” Combining the ideas that began
to develop during her participation in the
museum show with her previous plans for a
project, Kendal also brought themes from her
thesis to what would soon become the 1000
Avatar Project. “My art, the paintings, even the
Gracie Kendal Project, was about spontaneity
and repetition. I think this also applies to the
1000 Avatars Project.”
Although photography is the medium with

which this talented artist has chosen to paint
her message in the 1000 Avatars Project,
Kendal says that she does not consider herself
a photographer, but would choose the label
“performance artist or photographer painter.”
She describes that she chose to do very little
post-production editing on her photographs
other than basic cropping and adding text. This
led to a mid-project revelation, an “aha” moment
of sorts, when she pondered the imperfections
of the avatars in the photographs. “I started
to really look at the avis, and I am a serious
perfectionist. At first, I didn’t like it when the
angle of someone’s shoe was not right or their
fingers were going through their arm when they
crossed them. But then, I realized... that is how
it is. That is not my fault, nor their fault, and
that makes them less than perfect. In the end,
it doesn’t matter.” To Kendal, the imperfections
of our avatars, just as with those of our human
selves, became something to embrace and
wholeheartedly celebrate, and it became a very
important premise of the project. Additionally,
it is noted that the portraits on display do not
depict faces, nor do they even display profiles.
Each of the subjects are shot facing away from
the camera, a perspective that is not without
meaning to the artist. “That is symbolic of the
anonymity that a lot of people treasure here hiding the face, being unrecognizable,” Kendal
tells us, going on to elaborate. “I have been
thinking on the ideas of Gracie as me vs. Gracie
as a doll (hence the wind up key) vs. Gracie
as an ideal version of me. I started to ask if

it mattered who was on the other side of the
avatar, on the other side of the computer. I still
haven’t found the answer, but that is what art
is for... to help with that.” Kendal has chosen to
dedicate the project to the late Delinda Dyrssen,
a friend known to many in the Second Life®
community, who traveled the world with a nonprofit organization that helped to fund kidney
donations. Kendal indicated that three weeks
prior to Dryssen’s passing, she posted the
Mercier quote on her Twitter page, and Kendal
immediately found meaning in the words as
they would relate to the project.
Gracie Kendal’s exhibit and ongoing project has
received a lot of attention recently. Kendal has
faithfully documented the project’s progress in
her own blog http://1000avatars.wordpress.
com/, and the project has been promoted in
places like Facebook, Twitter, and Plurk, but
her gallery and studio has been buzzing with
activity since the Second Life Destination Guide
chose to highlight the 1000 Avatars Project.
She recalls, “It was really great! After it hit the
destination guide... WOW! It just exploded. It’s
been really amazing. I get IMs and emails all
the time from people telling me how wonderful
the project is and how much they want to be
in it, so I am really proud that I can bring that
to people and share it with them.” Volunteering
oneself to be a part of the project is a simple
process, Kendal advises. “The best way to get
in touch with me if I am not in-world is to email
me at krisartlvr@verizon.net and I will let them
know when I will be shooting next.” Interested

"Only those who
will risk going too
far can possibly find
out how far one
can go"
subjects can come to Kendal ‘s studio at the
appointed time dressed and prepared with
animations that are good depictions of their
individuality. “I ask people to bring their own
animations because this is based on their own
identity. I don’t have any poses. I want them
to use gestures, dances, animations and poses
that represent them.”
On January 13, 2011, Gracie Kendal actually
met her 1000 avatar milestone, but she has
no plans to stop anytime soon! On her blog,
she quotes T.S. Eliot as stating, “Only those
who will risk going too far can possibly find out
how far one can go.” In parentheses, she adds,
“With that being said… on to my next 1000!!!!”
Kendal, who sees this ongoing project as a
collaboration with the SL® community, has
every intention of forging ahead to her new
goal of 2000 avatars, hoping to continue to
spread the message of the value of diversity
and individuality among us in our virtual world
through her artistic works.
A